The Transfer of Scientific Principles Using Concrete and Idealized Simulations
Goldstone & Son (2005)What does it mean?
- "Some authors argue that the ideal book format for teaching readers to identify mushrooms is to present actual photographs of specimens. Other authors argue that line drawings are more effective than photographs despite their decreased realism because they can subtly emphasize diagnostic features and reduce variation unrelated to species identification. Our experiment explored the cognitive costs and benefits of concrete and idealized external representations."
(p. 2)
Which scenario is best?
- All concrete?
- All idealized?
- Move from concrete to idealized?
- Move from idealized to concrete?
And the winner is...
- Move from concrete to idealized
- aka “concreteness fading”- the process of successively decreasing the concreteness of a simulation with the intent of eventually attaining a relatively idealized and decontextualized representation that is still clearly connected to the physical situation that it models
(p. 2)
Benefits of Concreteness Fading
"On the one hand, concrete pedagogical materials provide useful and engaging perceptual scaffolding for abstract concepts that would be difficult to convey otherwise.
On the other hand, concrete materials may encourage learners to develop internal representations that are overly literal and tied to specific contexts.
A valuable pedagogical goal is to find instructional methods that combine the perceptual scaffolding provided by concrete materials with the potential for abstract transfer fostered by more idealized materials."
(p. 7)
Recommendations
"On the one hand, concrete pedagogical materials provide useful and engaging perceptual scaffolding for abstract concepts that would be difficult to convey otherwise.
On the other hand, concrete materials may encourage learners to develop internal representations that are overly literal and tied to specific contexts.
A valuable pedagogical goal is to find instructional methods that combine the perceptual scaffolding provided by concrete materials with the potential for abstract transfer fostered by more idealized materials."
(p. 7)
Recommendations
- Present simulation materials with varied rather than consistent appearances.
- Decide the intended use of simulations before designing them. Your design will change depending on whether you are teaching the nature of a particular domain or application across many domains.
- Use concreteness fading to accomplish the transfer from domain specific learning to application across many domains.
- “Virtually concrete” situations work just as well.
- Computer simulations can help create concrete experiences otherwise not available.
- "They promote an active, hands-on, problem-solving stance by learners." (p. 33)
- (Of course, they must be well designed.)
